Cats get the cream holiday

HURLING: It was advertised as a clash of the giants, but this senior hurling challenge at Nowlan Park yesterday turned into something of a right old shoot-out, Kilkenny eventually overcoming Tipperary by 2-24 to 1-15.

The 8,000 crowd saw Kilkenny control the first half, only a Tipperary goal from Brendan Dunne before the break halting the slide, cutting the arrears to 1-8 to 1-12.

Kilkenny took up the challenge again after the rest, but Tipperary fought back. However, Kilkenny finished strongly, claiming the handsome prize of a week-long holiday in the sun for 24 players.

KILKENNY: J McGarry; P Cahill, N Hickey, D Grogan; M Kavanagh (0-1), P Barry, R Mullally (0-1); P Tennyson (0-3), D Lyng (0-3); J Hoyne, H Sheflin (0-9), A Geoghegan; E Brennan (0-1), M Comerford (0-3), S Grehan (1-2). Subs: S Dowling for Cahill (injured, 7 min); K Power (1-1) for Geoghegan (injured, 11).

TIPPERARY: B Cummins; D Fahy, P Maher, P Ormonde; E Corcoran, D Kennedy, P Kelly; T Dunne, N Morris; M O'Leary (0-4), J Carroll, B Dunne (1-0); L Cahill (0-2), J O'Brien (0-2), E Kelly (1-7). Subs: C Gleeson for Dunne (28 min); T Costello for Fahy (30); E Enright for Morris (half-time), J Enright for B Dunne (58); E O'Neill for O'Brien (60).

Referee: P Neary (Kilkenny).

•On Saturday, Tipperary cruised to their second victory in the NHL when they saw off the challenge of Offaly 2-21 to 3-8 at Birr.

TIPPERARY: B Cummins; D Fahy, P Maher, P Ormonde; E Corcoran, D Kennedy, P Kelly; T Dunne (0-4), N Morris; M O'Leary, J Carroll (0-2), B Dunne (0-1); L Cahill (1-3), J O'Brien (1-2), E Kelly (0-9). Subs: E Enright for Morris; B O'Meara for O'Leary; M Ryan for Corcoran; C Gleeson for T Dunne.

OFFALY: S Byrne; D Franks, J Errity, S Tooher; J Brady, H Rigney, N Claffey; Barry Whelahan, G Oakley; J Dooley (0-3), G Hanniffy (1-1), B Murphy (1-3); R Hanniffy, Brian Whelahan (1-0), S Browne. Subs: B Carroll for Oakley; J P O'Meara for Tooher; M O'Hara for Franks; D Murray for Browne; W Comerford for M O'Hara.

Referee: P Dunphy (Kilkenny)

•Although described by manager Noel Lane as an "inconsistent performance", Galway emphatically dispensed of Dublin by 2-20 to 2-9, to make qualification for the knockout stages a mere formality, at Parnell Park on Saturday.

DUBLIN: B McLoughlin; P Brennan, S Perkins, D O'Reilly; K Ryan, L Ryan, S Hiney; C Keaney (0-1), C Meehan (1-0); D Sweeney (0-2), D Spain (0-1), S Martin (1-2); K Flynn, D Curtain (0-3, 2 frees), P Maguire. Subs: C Wilson for D Spain (39 mins); T Moore for K Flynn (57).

GALWAY: L Donoghue; M Healy, G Kennedy, O Canning; D O'Brien, L Hodgins, C Moore; R Murray (0-2), D Tierney (1-0); R Gantley (0-2 one free, one 65), J Rabbitte (0-1), D Hayes (0-3); O Fahy (0-2), M Kerins (1-1), F Forde (0-4 all frees). Subs: F Healy (0-2) for R Gantley (half-time); A Kerins (0-2) for O Fahy, M Cullinane (0-1) for J Rabbitte (both 60); N Hayes for R Murray (70).